IronPlanet Blog

Trucking Tuesday - Five Apps Truckers Love, and Lots of Trucks in October 13 Auction

With an outstanding selection of clean, well-maintained trucks from the Walmart fleet as well as Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks available for bid this October 13, it's no wonder IronPlanet staff are thinking about roads. And gas. And weather. And since we are an online auction, we think about technology and how our buyers use it.

Mobile apps have made huge inroads into our everyday lives, and that extends to how work is done. Out on the road, drivers rely on their cell phones to book and bid on loads, check the weather, find gas prices and traffic conditions, and do paperwork. Many apps also help improve drivers' quality of life by connecting them with family and friends as well as streaming audio and video.

Here are five apps for professional truckers, gathered from comments on trucking websites. IronPlanet does NOT receive kickbacks for the apps mentioned in this list. If you have a favorite app, please share your knowledge in the comments below!

Smart Truck Route got high ratings for its information on restrictions and limitations on commercial trucks. This app utilizes the built-in GPS capabilities of the phone or tablet, and adds live map updates for drivers. Free trial, then monthly or yearly subscription fee.

123Loadboard.com's mobile app is for both iOS and Android devices and lets users to search through millions of truck loads posted annually on their freight matching network. Free.

A lot of thumbs up went to Big Road Trucking App for its "clean, compliant, and editable" log and ease of use. It works both with US and Canadian regulations, and it allows you to send your documents straight from your mobile device. Free to individual drivers; $15 monthly for fleet owners.

A must for any traveler but especially for truckers, the Weather Channel app has been around forever, it's free, can be downloaded to everything but your thermos, and gives real time reports. And it's free.

On the educational and entertaining side of things, Georeader automatically reads, out loud, historical markers as you drive by them. The reviews are a little spotty, but the price is right: free.